EUGENE, Ore. — On the day before Valentine’s Day, a lot of people are scrambling to get something for their special someone. Chocolate is always a popular choice, but how about some that’s local and handmade from the Euphoria Chocolate Company?

“Valentine’s Day and the day before Valentine’s Day are our two busiest days of the year and we’re just running nonstop,” said Bob Bury, Euphoria’s owner.

His crew is dipping nonstop, packaging nonstop and selling nonstop. Just think about how many Oreos went into the pot of chocolate or how many truffles got extra chocolate tap, tap, tapped off. The staff there’s been through it all before, though.

“We have about 30 people on our payroll and a lot of them have been for years and years and years. We value that a lot,” Bury said.

Not only does Euphoria create local jobs, it uses local ingredients.

“You can’t buy cocoa beans locally, obviously, but all of our dairy products come from Lockmead Dairy in Junction City. All of our hazelnuts, or filberts, are from Oregon,” Bury said.

Some of Euphoria’s truffles are also made with Oregon wines, and Euphoria’s newest addition, dark chocolate granolas, are local too.

“We just try to do as much as we possibly can locally because it’s just a good thing to do,” Bury said.

So you can feel good about stopping by to buy any of their sweets for your sweetheart, knowing by buying from any of Euphoria’s three locations, your money creates jobs and spreads far beyond the chocolate factory in West Eugene.